Taxonomy

Has been included with T. caucasicus and T. caspius in a “dark-bellied snowcock” group. Race sauricus has sometimes been spelt as saurensis, but former is correct#R. Geographical variation partly clinal, and dependent to some extent on type of substrate in region inhabited by the various populations. Races sewerzowi, incognitus and nominate himalayensis intergrade, and are sometimes synonymized#R. Extremes of the forms, however, are reasonably distinctive. Most distinct form, koslowi, has been elevated to species rank by some authors. Population of NW Afghanistan has been separated as race bendi, although usually included within incognitus. Six subspecies recognized.

Public comments

Nevada, USA populations of this species apparently were introduced from Hunza, Pakistan. This would make them subspecies himalayensis by geographic range. Information is from a Nevada Fish and Game Commission video: http://aba.org/birding/snowcock/

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